In the end, it was more on the good side in terms of the story and performances. But the bad network business surrounding the songs was almost too much to bear at times.

On the plus...

]]>Thu, 8 Dec 2016 05:04:00 PSTNBC News gets it wrong again with image of social unrest in BaltimoreDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-nbc-news-wrong-again-image--baltimore-20161207-story.html
NBC News struck again this week in misusing an image from the social unrest in Baltimore following the death of Freddie Gray in 2015.

On Tuesday, NBC's "Today" show aired a report on reaction in Charleston, S.C., to a mistrial in the shooting of Walter Scott with an image from Baltimore in April...

]]>Wed, 7 Dec 2016 12:50:00 PSTOn "Reliable Sources," we take on Donald Trump's lying tweetsDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-on-reliable-sources-we-take-on-donald-trump-s-lying-tweets-20161204-story.html
Donald Trump gave us a preview last week of how he would use Twitter to govern - bypassing the press as much as possible.

I wrote about in Sunday's paper. You can read that and see my video on it here.

And host Brian Stelter and I talked about it on Sunday's CNN's "Reliable Sources."

You can see...

]]>Sun, 4 Dec 2016 18:08:00 PSTA sloppy call by CBS of a big Ravens win over MiamiDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-cbs-ravens-tv-telecast-miami-20161204-story.html
Sun, 4 Dec 2016 14:41:00 PSTTrump (still) using Twitter bullhorn? Cue the media freakoutDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bs-ae-zontv-trump-twitter-20161202-story.html
If I were more religious, I would be convinced that God sent Donald Trump to test the press.

And so far, the press has mostly failed — with another "F" coming this past week as the president-elect again flexed his Twitter muscles. This time, he introduced the new normal for how information will...

I like the premise of this docu-series: “Follow 20-somethings over the course of a single pay-period to see how they spend, struggle and thrive,” in the words of the channel’s website.

It’s a real-life look at economics for young...

]]>Fri, 2 Dec 2016 06:28:00 PSTLin-Manuel Miranda's 'Drunk History' version of Hamilton a delightDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-lin-manuel-miranda-drunk-history-hamilton-20161128-story.html
“Drunk History” is almost always a subversive delight. But this week’s edition with Lin-Manuel Miranda doing a bombed version of Alexander Hamilton's life is something special.

]]>Mon, 28 Nov 2016 15:09:00 PSTRavens victory gets worthy coverage from Eagle, Fouts and CBSDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-ravens-victory-tv-coverage-eagle-fouts-and-cbs-20161127-story.html
Sun, 27 Nov 2016 14:33:00 PSTHBO's 'The Trans List' a powerful, personal exploration of transgender identityDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bs-ae-zontv-trans-list-hbo-20161123-story.html
There's the former model and "Bond Girl" who was designated a boy at birth. There's the combat-tested, super-muscular Army sergeant who was designated a girl. And a poet who says, "I think gender can actually change every single day. Myself is many selves."

These are some of the people featured...

]]>Wed, 23 Nov 2016 14:52:00 PSTCBS telecast as strong and focused as Dallas in 2nd halfDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-cbs-ravens-cowboys-telecast-strong-focused-dallas-20161120-story.html
The story of the Cowboys’ 27-17 victory over the Ravens on Sunday was the focus and energy with which Dallas controlled the game in the second half. That was also the story of another strong telecast from the CBS team of Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts and Evan Washburn.

While the team in the booth was fine...

]]>Sun, 20 Nov 2016 14:37:00 PSTFake news a symptom of sickness in media ecosystemDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bs-ae-zontv-fake-news-20161118-story.html
We are living on the edge of — if not already in — an information crisis. And it seems as if we are too addled by all the fake news, misinformation, disinformation, bad reporting and flat-out propaganda at places like Facebook, Twitter, Reddit and Google to even know how far gone we are.

Fake news,...

]]>Fri, 18 Nov 2016 12:59:58 PSTGwen Ifill, pioneering broadcaster, PBS host, dies at 61David Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-gwen-ifill-obit-20161114-story.html
Gwen Ifill, a pioneering figure as the first African-American woman to co-anchor a national newscast and serve as solo anchor of a weekly national public affairs show, died Monday of cancer at a hospice in Washington.

Since his 1993 debut in Baltimore author Stephen Hunter's best-selling thriller "Point of Impact," the ex-Marine sniper has been featured in eight more novels and a 2007 feature film starring Mark Wahlberg.

And Tuesday night, he arrives on television in a 10-hour...

]]>Fri, 11 Nov 2016 14:04:00 PSTA plea to cable TV bosses: Turn down the angry political talk nowDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-a-plea-to-cable-tv-bosses-turn-down-the-angry-political-talk-now-20161110-story.html
Yesterday, I wrote about the higher, ritualistic purpose some of the more responsible cable channels news played on election night as earth-shaking results were tallied.

But that role didn’t stop early Wednesday when Hillary Clinton had called Donald Trump to concede.

In fact, at that very moment,...

]]>Thu, 10 Nov 2016 09:39:00 PSTTV served a higher, ritualistic purpose on this election nightDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-tv-cnn-higher-ritualistic-purpose-election-night-20161109-story.html
There are moments in our national life when media take on a higher role serving a ritualistic function beyond even their journalistic one as we collectively move through an epic passage.

Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning that happened with the victory of Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton,...

]]>Wed, 9 Nov 2016 03:10:00 PSTUse of partisan political operatives tarnishes early TV election coverageDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bs-ae-zontv-election-day-20161108-story.html
For the last 18 months, CNN has chosen to live or die with political operatives playing a prominent role in its campaign coverage.

Despite widespread criticism, the channel stuck with that strategy on election night, and mainly died with it in the early going.

Starting with the 5 o'clock hour,...

]]>Tue, 8 Nov 2016 19:31:00 PSTIan Eagle's play by play successfully carries the day in Ravens telecastDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-ian-eagle-cbs-tv-steelers-ravens-telecast-20161106-story.html
Besides seeing the Ravens beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 21-14, one of the genuine pleasures of Sunday’s CBS telecast was the confident, steady and smooth work of play-by-play announcer Ian Eagle.

He’s now the point man on the No. 2 CBS broadcast team, and he is certain to have a long career ahead...

]]>Sun, 6 Nov 2016 15:19:00 PSTBiggest loser of 2016 presidential election? The mediaDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bs-ae-zontv-election-press-fail-20161104-story.html
We are still days away from finally knowing the winner of one of the ugliest elections in modern history, but we already have the biggest loser: the media.

From cable news employees sharing questions with Democrat Hillary Clinton in advance of TV town halls and debates, to executives making their...

]]>Fri, 4 Nov 2016 07:05:00 PDTDonna Brazile CNN case highlights sin of mixing politicos with journalistsDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-donna-brazile-cnn-case-highlights-sin-of-mixing-politicos-with-journalists-20161031-story.html
On Sunday, I wrote about the dangers of mixing politicos with journalists in a post about ABC News adding Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake to its election night team.

Today, comes CNN acknowledging its embarrassment, if not shame, over former analyst Donna Brazile's alleged role in feeding...

]]>Mon, 31 Oct 2016 12:25:00 PDTAnthony Weiner documentary must-see in wake of FBI bombshellDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-anthony-weiner-documentary-must-see-fbi-bombshell-20161030-story.html
With the campaign-shaking news last week that the FBI is going back down the rabbit hole of Hillary Clinton emails as the result of an unrelated investigation of disgraced former Congressman Anthony Weiner’s sexting with a 15-year-old girl, the documentary “Weiner” is not to be missed.

And, as...

]]>Sun, 30 Oct 2016 10:10:00 PDTABC News undermines all journalists in rewarding Rawlings-BlakeDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-abc-news-undermines-all-journalists-in-rewarding-rawlings-blake-20161029-story.html
On Thursday, I reported that Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake was going to be part of the election-night coverage on ABC. She will be there as one of several analysts.

Now for the opinion part: ABC News hiring Rawlings-Blake even for one night after she banned a local reporter from her...

]]>Sat, 29 Oct 2016 15:47:00 PDTBaltimore Mayor Rawlings-Blake will be part of ABC News election night coverageDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-stephanie-rawlings-blake-will-be-part-of-abc-news-election-night-coverage-20161027-story.html
Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, who recently banned a journalist from her weekly press briefings, will be joining the world of journalism on election night as an analyst for ABC News, according to the network.

Baltimore's outgoing mayor will be part of the ABC News production on one of the biggest TV...

]]>Thu, 27 Oct 2016 07:01:00 PDTKelly, Gingrich and the beatdown of male privilege in Campaign 2016David Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-kelly-gingrich-and-the-beatdown-of-male-privilege-in-2016-20161026-story.html
In the wake of the release of Donald Trump's hot-mic "Access Hollywood" tape, I wrote that this presidential campaign was as much of a watershed moment in terms of gender as the 2008 was in terms of race.

It wasn't just a matter of the first woman likely being elected president of the United States....

Even though the moment occurred 14 months ago, I didn't know how prophetic it was until the hot-mic videotape of Donald Trump telling "Access Hollywood" host Billy Bush how he...

]]>Fri, 14 Oct 2016 09:34:00 PDTMayor's ban on WYPR reporter is outrageously anti-democraticDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-mayor-ban-wypr-reporter-burns-rawlings-blake-20161012-story.html
The ban by Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake on WYPR radio reporter P. Kenneth Burns is outrageously anti-democratic. It shows either a lack of understanding or utter contempt on the part of Rawlings-Blake for the fundamental role of a free press in a democracy.

As I have regularly written here, I...

]]>Wed, 12 Oct 2016 12:30:00 PDTNBC expected to announce departure of Billy BushDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-nbc-expected-to-dump-billy-bush-20161011-story.html
On Saturday, I called Billy Bush dead meat at NBC. And it looks as if the network, which suspended the “Today” show host Sunday night, is about to make that official.

I could find no one in the TV news industry the last two days who thinks there is any way back for Bush at NBC News after a 2005...

In terms of the social nature of the debate, there were 62 million social media...

]]>Tue, 11 Oct 2016 06:11:00 PDTTrump lives to fight another day in remarkable, tabloid debate with ClintonDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-trump-lives-to-fight-another-day-in-remarkable-tabloid-debate-with-clinton-20161009-story.html
This presidential campaign has been so tabloid and downright strange that I didn’t think I could be stunned by anything I saw or heard in these closing weeks.

And then I turned to CNN at 7:57 tonight for the start of the debate, and the camera showed me three women sitting in the first row of the...

]]>Sun, 9 Oct 2016 22:00:00 PDTNBC to keep Billy Bush off air indefinitely as controversy mountsDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-nbc-billy-bush-off-air-monday-trump-controversy-mounts-20161009-story.html
In the wake of intense criticism over his role in an obscene and misogynistic conversation with Donald Trump, NBC show host Billy Bush will be kept off the "Today" show indefinitely by NBC.

The 2005 tape of Bush and Trump talking like two sexual predators about a woman they were about to meet on...

]]>Sun, 9 Oct 2016 16:52:00 PDTNBC needs to fire Billy Bush, apologize to womenDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-nbc-needs-to-fire-billy-bush-apologize-to-women-20161008-story.html
When Billy Bush was named host of the third hour of “Today” last summer I thought this is what you get when you put show business values totally over news the way NBC has done time and again.

And no one in TV, not even Fox News, has done it as often or egregiously as NBC. Remember the mistake the...

The term conjures up images of brightly lit New England assembly halls and the Norman Rockwell "Freedom of Speech" illustration that shows a young man straight out of Frank Capra central...

]]>Fri, 7 Oct 2016 13:33:09 PDTAdam May joins WBAL-TV as anchor and reporterDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-adam-may-joins-wbal-tv-as-anchor-and-reporter-20161004-story.html
WBAL-TV has hired former Al Jazeera America correspondent Adam May as weekend anchor and weekday reporter, the Hearst-owned station announced today.

May, a Baltimore resident who worked out of Al Jazeera’s Washington bureau, came to the short-lived cable channel in 2013 from WJZ-TV, where he had...

]]>Tue, 4 Oct 2016 11:21:00 PDTTrump and the dangers of living in the Fox bubble with Sean HannityDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-trump-and-the-dangers-of-living-in-the-fox-bubble-with-hannity-20161002-story.html
Donald Trump might think he's playing it safe and smart by doing interviews only on Fox and mainly with Sean Hannity. But Sarah Palin tried that in 2008 and it blew up on her in a big way.

In revisiting some of my blog posts from 2008 on Hannity, I found one in which I described an interview he...

]]>Mon, 3 Oct 2016 05:40:00 PDTCBS delivers another winning telecast in Ravens loss to RaidersDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-cbs-ravens-telecast-tv-raiders-20161002-story.html
Sun, 2 Oct 2016 15:32:00 PDTSNL returns in full election modeDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-snl-returns-in-full-campaign-election-mode-20161002-story.html
“Saturday Night Live” returned for a new season in full election mode this week, and while it had some very smart and funny political moments, I could not help but wonder at times whether there was something about the race between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton that defied even the savviest satire....
]]>Sun, 2 Oct 2016 05:17:00 PDTRoughly Speaking podcast: David Zurawik on the Clinton-Trump split-screen; three good books (episode 156)Dan Rodrickshttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-roughly-speaking-clinton-trump-debate-books-20160930-story.html
In this podcast: 2:31: Today on the show, Dan catches up with the Sun's media critic David Zurawik to talk about last Monday's televised debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. With Clinton widely seen as the winner of that debate -- well prepared, with attacks on Trump's record that seemed...
]]>Fri, 30 Sep 2016 08:45:00 PDTUMBC's 'Revolution' reminds us that small screen had big visual ideasDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bs-ae-zontv-umbc-tv-art-exhibit-20160930-story.html
Art is not the first word that comes to most people's minds at the mention of television.

From the earliest days, there has been a body of so-called intellectual thought that dismissed the medium as a "vast wasteland" or the "boob tube."

That myopia, which persists to this day in some quarters,...

]]>Fri, 30 Sep 2016 20:32:00 PDTClinton-Trump debate most watched ever with 84 million viewersDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-report-clinton-trump-debate-most-watched-ever-20160927-story.html
UPDATE: Nielsen says the TV audience for Monday's debate was 84 million. There were also 17.1 million Twitter interactions related to the debates from 2.7 people in the U.S., according to the audience measurement service.

The previous record for a debate was 80.6 million for the 1980 debate between...

]]>Tue, 27 Sep 2016 11:39:00 PDTClinton-Trump debate: A bad TV night for the reality TV star who would be presidentDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-clinton-trump-debate-a-bad-tv-night-for-the-reality-tv-star-who-would-be-president-20160926-story.html
In TV terms, Donald Trump had a pretty bad night. He lost to Hillary Clinton on several levels in their first debate Monday with millions of undecided voters watching.

He started out strong - and looked for about 20 minutes like he was going to do the two things everyone said he had to: seem presidential...

]]>Mon, 26 Sep 2016 21:17:00 PDTFrontline offers much needed clarity with Clinton, Trump biographiesDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-frontline-clarity-clinton-trump-the-choice-20160926-story.html
If you feel like your head is going to explode with all the hype, spin and madness surrounding Monday night’s debate, check out Frontline’s “The Choice” on Tuesday night for some much needed clarity on Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.

The anchors who moderate presidential debates have long walked a tightrope. If they let the candidates prattle on about every talking point, they are perceived as soft. If they interrupt too frequently to correct...

]]>Mon, 26 Sep 2016 09:49:00 PDTZ on TV: Ravens victory gets telecast worthy of a bigger-market gameDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-ravens-victory-cbs-telecast-big-market-game-20160925-story.html
Sun, 25 Sep 2016 15:05:00 PDTClinton, Trump teams will spin on social media as candidates spar on stageDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bs-ae-zontv-tv-clinton-trump-debate-20160923-story.html
Monday night's presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump is expected to make television history with the largest audience ever for such an event — exceeding the 80 million in 1980 for Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter.

But the TV screen might not be the one that matters most as voters...

]]>Sat, 24 Sep 2016 12:14:06 PDTWYPR's 'Out of the Blocks' shares Baltimoreans' stories block by blockBrittany Brittohttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bs-ae-wypr-out-of-the-blocks-20160923-story.html
In Baltimore, the streets are brimming with untold stories, and Aaron Henkin and Wendel Patrick, producers of the WYPR documentary series "Out of the Blocks," have been on a quest to give residents and business owners a chance to share them, block by block.

With the slogan "One hour of radio. One...

]]>Fri, 23 Sep 2016 16:13:23 PDTLutherville's Derek Waters returns to revels of 'Drunk History,' Season 4David Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bs-ae-zontv-drunk-history-20160923-story.html
The first piece Derek Waters ever staged for what would become "Drunk History" involved Alexander Hamilton. The scenario featured Mark Gagliardi, a friend of Waters, recounting the duel between Hamilton and Aaron Burr — with a little help from a bottle of scotch.

Waters, a Lutherville native, will...

]]>Fri, 23 Sep 2016 15:55:49 PDTMix 106.5 DJ Maria Dennis on her battle with cancer and life beyond itBrittany Brittohttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bs-ae-maria-dennis-20160922-story.html
On the presidential campaign trail, Rachel Platten's "Fight Song" became a bit of a joke after it appeared in heavy rotation at Hillary Clinton's rallies.

But for Maria Dennis, the anthem may never get old.

And I don't really care if nobody else believes

'Cause I've still got a lot of fight left...

]]>Thu, 22 Sep 2016 09:06:00 PDTZurawik: Ravens win needed more video, less analyst opinionDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-ravens-win-tv-cbs-more-video-less-opinion-20160918-story.html
Carter Blackburn, Chris Simms and Jenny Dell are not exactly household names. But when you have two smaller market teams like Baltimore and Cleveland playing each other, don’t expect the A team in the booth.

That said, I was just about to start writing a mostly positive review of their call of...

]]>Sun, 18 Sep 2016 15:23:00 PDTCandidates' lack of transparency part of a trend that's bad for democracyDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bs-ae-zontv-clinton-trump-weak-press-20160916-story.html
A 70-year-old reality TV star running for president shared a sketchy two-page health summary with a doctor-host on a syndicated daytime show and had the gall to boast of his transparency compared to that of his opponent.

His 68-year-old opponent, meanwhile, kept a diagnosis of pneumonia secret...

]]>Fri, 16 Sep 2016 05:42:00 PDTWYPR's 'Maryland Morning' to cease Friday; Kast to host new 'On the Record'Brittany Brittohttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-wypr-maryland-morning-airs-last-time-friday-kast-host-new-show-on-the-record-story.html
WYPR's "Maryland Morning," originally hosted by radio host Sheilah Kast for nearly 10 years, will air for the last time Friday morning. But a new show will take its place.

Kast, who has hosted "Midday" for about 10 months, confirmed Wednesday that she will host a new show called "On the Record,"...

]]>Wed, 14 Sep 2016 13:47:00 PDTOhio University students taught right lesson on erasing Roger Ailes legacyDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-ohio-u-students-taught-right-lesson-on-erasing-roger-ailes-legacy-20160913-story.html
I am late getting to this because I was away yesterday, but I have to at least note Ohio University being so ashamed of its connection to former Fox News CEO Roger Ailes that it is taking a $500,000 hit so it can remove the alumnus' name from a newsroom at the campus.

Half a million dollars is...

]]>Tue, 13 Sep 2016 13:35:00 PDTClinton's health another big challenge for the pressDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-clinton-health-big-challenge-press-20160911-story.html
Hillary Clinton's health is going to be a big story this week and in weeks to come. The question: Is the press up to the challenge of reporting it responsibly?

The news of Clinton leaving a 9/11 event in New York City because she felt ill was reported on CNN during "Reliable Sources" Sunday in...

]]>Sun, 11 Sep 2016 19:10:00 PDTMatt Lauer and the way TV can't get past show biz to politicsDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-matt-lauer-fail-show-biz-politics-20160911-story.html
Matt Lauer's widely panned performance as moderator of NBC's "Commander-in-chief Forum" last week is symptomatic of a larger problem: NBC and much of the TV industry favoring show business over journalism when it comes to covering presidential politics.

TV journalism is a hybrid of the two. After...

]]>Sun, 11 Sep 2016 18:12:00 PDTZurawik: Nothing 'magical' about call of Ravens' victory by CBSDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-nothing-magical-cbs-tv-call-ravens-bills-win-20160911-story.html
I forgot how much I missed my magical fall Sundays with CBS Sports. But it all came rushing back to me today watching the Ravens’ 13-7 victory over the Buffalo Bills.

What could match the thrill of seeing the game interrupted late in the 3rd quarter for technical difficulties at CBS Sports? They...

]]>Sun, 11 Sep 2016 14:17:00 PDT'All the Difference' tells new story of young black men in collegeDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bs-ae-zontv-all-the-difference-pov-pbs-20160909-story.html
Trying to change societal narratives, the stories we use to make sense of our lives, is a tall order. It involves changing the way we think and see the world. And that's a lot to ask of any film — or book, TV show or play.

But that's exactly what best-selling Baltimore author and executive producer...

]]>Fri, 9 Sep 2016 12:34:00 PDTCarlson, Van Susteren: Fox keeps making news for all the wrong reasonsDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-carlson-van-susteren-fox-keeps-making-news-for-all-the-wrong-reasons-20160906-story.html
Once again, Fox News is breaking all the rules in terms of how things in the media are world are supposed to happen. Only these days, it’s always in a bad way.

If there is anyone at Fox who doesn’t feel as if the earth is crumbling under their feet, they better look again.

Kast's show will air 9:30 to 10 a.m. weekdays on the public-radio station. Though station management refers to Kast's...

]]>Thu, 1 Sep 2016 17:48:00 PDTFormer Raven Trevor Pryce to debut kids series 'Kulipari' on NetflixDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bs-ae-zontv-trevor-pryce-20160826-story.html
For most athletes, their best years are well behind them by the time the hit the big 4-0. But at 41, former NFL star Trevor Pryce has found a new and what he calls a better life among the frogs and scorpions of "Kulipari."

The trilogy of children's books he created starring a wannabe warrior frog...

]]>Fri, 26 Aug 2016 13:29:45 PDTZ on TV: Baltimore media should be tougher police watchdogsDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bs-ae-zontv-tougher-media-20160812-story.html
It's time for media in Baltimore to get real with the police.

A police department doesn't get as sick as the Department of Justice says Baltimore's is without lots of help. And if the media want to really make Baltimore a better place to live, they have to push back against the police — as unpleasant...

]]>Fri, 12 Aug 2016 13:05:00 PDTZ on TV: City leaders can't blame the media for image-crushing DOJ reportDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-doj-report-city-media-image-crushing-news-20160810-story.html
For years, Baltimore civic leaders have been blaming the media for the city’s troubled image.

One of the favorite refrains when police practices were questioned was to use the metaphor of a few “bad apples” to suggest the media were emphasizing the negative exceptions to the positive norm, giving...

]]>Wed, 10 Aug 2016 11:44:00 PDTMPT to produce promotional film about Ellicott CityDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-mpt-to-produce-promotional-film-for-ellicott-city-20160808-story.html
Maryland Public Television announced today that it is going to make a film about Ellicott City that will "showcase the area for economic, residential and tourism development," according to a news release from the state-run broadcaster.

The station is characterizing the initiative, to be titled...

]]>Mon, 8 Aug 2016 14:31:00 PDTSyed book underscores role media played in reviving caseDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bs-ae-zontv-syed-media-20160805-story.html
Not since the O.J. Simpson trial have the media played as crucial a role in a legal proceeding as they are now doing in the case of Adnan Syed.

With Simpson's 1995 murder trial in the killings of his wife, Nicole, and her friend Ronald Goldman, it was cable TV making the former NFL star's guilt...

]]>Fri, 5 Aug 2016 12:32:17 PDTBruce Elliott takes over Tom Marr slot at WCBMDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-bruce-elliott-takes-over-tom-marr-slot-at-wcbm-20160802-story.html
WCBM-AM (680) named Bruce Elliott as its new mid-day host replacing Tom Marr, who died last month from a stroke following surgery.

Elliott, a veteran Baltimore radio show host, had been filling in for Marr during the 9 a.m.-to-noon weekday slot since early July.

Host Brian Stelter and his producers have been trying to report, analyze and explain the businessman's landmark candidacy from every angle imaginable....

]]>Sun, 31 Jul 2016 11:57:00 PDTMorning shows shuffled with Steve Davis out at 105.7 The FanDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-steve-davis-out-at-105-7-the-fan-20160729-story.html
Steve Davis is out as co-host of the “Norris & Davis” morning show on WJZ-FM (105.7 The Fan), the veteran sportscaster confirmed Friday afternoon.

Davis, who has been on Baltimore and Washington TV and radio since 1994, joined 105.7 in 2010 after being laid off by WBAL radio in what management...

]]>Sat, 30 Jul 2016 09:22:00 PDTClinton at disadvantage on TVDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bs-ae-zontv-hillary-image-20160729-story.html
TV is not Hillary Clinton's friend. And contrary to the conventional wisdom on what it takes to win the White House, her best media course between now and November is to avoid it as much as possible if she wants to be the first female president of the United States.

It surely wasn't the opening morning of convention TV that the Democrats were hoping for, but the booing of Democratic National Committee chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz was great television.

It beat the booing...

]]>Mon, 25 Jul 2016 08:29:00 PDTDerek Waters snags Lin-Manuel Miranda for new season of 'Drunk History'David Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-derek-waters-snags-lin-manuel-miranda-for-new-season-of-drunk-history-20160722-story.html
Lin-Manuel Miranda, of "Hamilton," will be taking viewers of "Drunk History" back to a tipsy version of the rivalry in colonial America between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr, Comedy Central announced.

The new season of 10 episodes of the series co-created by Baltimore native Derek Waters arrives...

That's the thought I had all week as I reported the story of Fox News CEO Roger Ailes negotiating the terms of his departure from the channel he founded.

The end came Thursday afternoon, with 21st Century Fox, parent of Fox News, announcing that Ailes was out after 20 years...

]]>Fri, 22 Jul 2016 00:00:00 PDTRoger Ailes on his way out at Fox, report saysDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-roger-ailes-on-his-way-out-at-fox-report-says-20160718-story.html
Roger Ailes' tenure as the leader of Fox News may be coming to an end, according to a report by Gabriel Sherman of New York magazine.

According to Sherman, it is no longer a matter of if Ailes will be dismissed but rather when it will happen in the wake of a sexual harassment lawsuit by former...

]]>Mon, 18 Jul 2016 12:15:00 PDTRice verdict gets less play, but is put in context on larger national stories on cableDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-rice-verdict-put-in-context-on-larger-national-stories-on-cable-20160718-story.html
Coming between the shooting death of three Baton Rouge police officers and the start of a law-and-order-themed GOP convention, it is not surprising that the not-guilty verdict for Lt. Brian Rice in the death of Freddie Gray did not get more national coverage today.

What was surprising was that...

]]>Mon, 18 Jul 2016 09:43:00 PDTRNC sure to be a media cauldron, could be where Trump gets mojo backDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bs-ae-zontv-convention-media-20160715-story.html
Donald Trump calling himself "the law and order candidate." Protests scheduled on the streets of Cleveland. More cameras than have ever been assembled for a political convention. And a nation very much on edge.

The Republican National Convention, which starts Monday, is one mix of media, politics...

]]>Fri, 15 Jul 2016 12:49:00 PDTWBAL, Ravens extend media relationship to 2022David Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-wbal-ravens-extend-media-relationship-to-2022-20160715-story.html
WBAL and the Baltimore Ravens are extending their media relationship through 2022, the two parties said Friday.

The six-year agreement extends the partnership that started in 2011 and was set to expire this year.

The deal will keep WBAL radio and WIYY (98 Rock) as the AM and FM flagship stations...

]]>Fri, 15 Jul 2016 08:10:00 PDTMaryland-made 'House of Cards,' other locals pick up major Emmy nominationsDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-maryland-made-house-of-cards-emmy-nominations-20160714-story.html
Maryland-made “House of Cards” will be well represented at this year’s primetime Emmy Awards show with major nominations announced today for best drama and best actor and actress in a drama.

Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright both received a fourth nomination for best actor and actress in a drama, respectively,...

]]>Thu, 14 Jul 2016 09:48:00 PDTDebating a reckless tweet about Black Lives Matter on CNN todayDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-reckless-tweet-tomi-lahren-black-lives-matter-cnn-today-20160710-story.html
CNN's "Reliable Sources" provided the platform for a deeply-felt debate between me and Tomi Lahren, of TheBlaze. At least, it was deeply felt on my part. I cannot speak for her.

]]>Sun, 10 Jul 2016 13:30:00 PDTAfter shootings, a loss of hope in power of viral videoDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bs-ae-zontv-police-shooting-videos-20160708-story.html
YouTube, Periscope and Facebook Live. Baton Rouge, Falcon Heights and Dallas. We are a nation awash in shocking video.

I once thought seeing surveillance camera video in 2014 of former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice punching his fiancee in the face was dramatic and revealing.

I also thought,...

]]>Fri, 8 Jul 2016 13:22:00 PDTWCBM talk show host Tom Marr dies at 73David Zurawik, Frederick N. Rasmussenhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-wcbm-talkshow-host-tom-marr-dead-at-73-20160707-story.html
Tom Marr, a longtime WCBM-AM Radio talk show host who was known for his conservative stance on issues and earlier had been news director at WFBR-AM Radio and a member of the radio play-by-play team for the Orioles, died Thursday from a massive stroke following back surgery at the University of...
]]>Thu, 7 Jul 2016 08:50:00 PDTGretchen Carlson's suit against Roger Ailes could be bad news for Fox NewsDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-carlson-suit-against-roger-ailes-rock-fox-news-20160706-story.html
UPDATES: Roger Ailes, 21st Century Fox respond.

Gretchen Carlson’s lawsuit charging Fox News CEO Roger Ailes with sexual harassment and retaliation could have a profound effect not just on the 76-year-old media titan's career, but the channel he built as well.

Without pre-judging, there is a history...

]]>Wed, 6 Jul 2016 13:02:00 PDTWCBM's Tom Marr suffers stroke, will be off the air indefinitelyDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-wcbm-tom-marr-stroke-back-surgery-20160705-story.html
Veteran talk show host Tom Marr is off the air at WCBM indefinitely after suffering a stroke over the weekend, the station said today.

"In the early hours of July 3rd, Tom Marr suffered a stroke due to complications from a recent surgical procedure on his spine," a statement from the station quotes...

]]>Tue, 5 Jul 2016 08:18:00 PDTViceland trades on Michael K. Williams' Omar persona in sensationalistic 'Black Market'David Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bs-ae-zontv-viceland-michael-k-williams-20160701-story.html
We've been down this TV road before: unidentified men in masks and hoods pointing guns at the camera and saying "the system" is to blame for the crimes they commit.

Two summers ago, it was National Geographic Channel's "Drugs, Inc.: The High Wire," which purported to be a backstage look at drug...

]]>Fri, 1 Jul 2016 12:33:00 PDTLatest twist in Adnan Syed story makes it even more media mightyDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-latest-twist-adnan-syed-new-trial-media-mighty-20160630-story.html
The news today of a Baltimore judge granting Adnan Syed's request for a new trial makes what was already a remarkable story even more of a media juggernaut.

Today's judicial action reported for The Sun by Justin Fenton makes me think that before all is said and done in this case, we might have...

That's what I heard during a discussion I was part of CNN's "Reliable Sources" this week. I am wondering if there is anyone else who thinks that way.

I admit in this video that something is happening in the culture, particularly with millennials,...

]]>Mon, 27 Jun 2016 18:57:00 PDTFrontline shows how hard real police reform is in NewarkDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-frontline-what-police-reform-looks-like-20160627-story.html
Newark, N.J., is the focus of Frontline’s “Policing the Police.” But it could just as easily be about Baltimore or any other city with a high crime rate and troubled police-community relations.

I urge everyone who cares about Baltimore and wants to better understand how the city became a place...

]]>Mon, 27 Jun 2016 13:23:00 PDTFact-checking Trumphttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/87701069-132.html
How many fact checkers does it take to fact check Donald Trump? That's the way CNN's Reliable Sources framed a a panel discussion on fact checking and the presidential race. I especially liked what Angie Drobnic Holan, editor at Politifact, had to say. (CNN video)
]]>Mon, 27 Jun 2016 08:08:00 PDTJayne Miller among regional Emmy Award winnersDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-regional-emmys-awarded-in-baltimore-20160626-story.html
The 58th National Capital Chesapeake Bay Regional Emmy Awards ceremony was held in Baltimore on Saturday night.

I enjoyed being part of it. More importantly, I was greatly impressed by the way the channel handled it. No one tried in any way to influence what I wanted to say even...

]]>Sun, 26 Jun 2016 12:12:00 PDTVideo's power, and limits, on display in Gray case, House sit-inDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bs-ae-zontv-video-rules-20160624-story.html
Nearly every day, it seems, presents fresh evidence of video's growing power to change our lives — and of the limits and caveats to that power as well.

This week brought more vivid examples with the acquittal of Officer Caesar Goodson in the death of Freddie Gray and the dramatic sit-in protest...

]]>Fri, 24 Jun 2016 15:03:00 PDTMSNBC runs old riot footage with 'Happening Now' logoDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-msnbc-riot-footage-goodson-coverage-20160623-story.html
Some news operations just can't let go of that riot video from last year after the death of Freddie Gray.

And Thursday morning, MSNBC again went to that well in its coverage from Baltimore of the trial of Officer Caesar Goodson.

In a report that aired just prior to the verdict, correspondent Ron...

]]>Thu, 23 Jun 2016 12:33:00 PDTState audit faults MPT handling of donor infoDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bs-ae-zontv-mpt-20160622-story.html
Maryland Public Television failed to adequately protect donor financial information gathered during fundraising efforts, according to a state audit covering the years 2011 to 2015.

The report also questioned MPT's handling of contracts worth $8 million and its monitoring of payments to companies...

]]>Wed, 22 Jun 2016 17:51:45 PDTBook on Adnan Syed gets new publication date this summerDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-book-on-adnan-syed-new-publication-date-summer-20160620-story.html
St. Martin's Press has moved the publication date of a book on Adnan Syed, the Baltimore man in prison for killing his former high school girlfriend, from September to Aug. 9 as a ruling is awaited on a new trial for Syed.

The case surrounding the death of Hae Min Lee, a Woodlawn High School student...

]]>Mon, 20 Jun 2016 11:33:00 PDTNational media lose interest, switch storylines in Freddie Gray caseDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bs-ae-zontv-goodson-media-20160610-story.html
The primary press storyline in the trials of the six officers involved in the death of Freddie Gray shifted with the case of Caesar Goodson Jr. this week.

It went from "Will Baltimore explode again without a conviction?" to "Will State's Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby ever be able to get one?"

With...

]]>Fri, 10 Jun 2016 15:08:00 PDTTrump's 'misconstrued' claim an empty one thanks to Jake TapperDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-trump-misconstrued-claim-empty-jake-tapper-20160607-story.html
After a year of owning the press, Donald Trump looks like he might be in serious media decline.

It started last week with his attack-the-press conference May 31, and it keeps getting worse. Tuesday's statement that his words about the ethnic background of a judge were "misconstrued" isn't going...

]]>Tue, 7 Jun 2016 13:55:00 PDTAs we condemn Trump, let's not forget Obama's sins against pressDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-condemn-trump-forget-obama-sins-against-press-20160605-story.html
As we righteously condemn Donald Trump for his attempts to intimidate the press, let's not forget the worse sins of the Obama administration.

And let's not be hypocrites: What Obama did through the use of his attorney general, Eric Holder, was far worse. I would rather have someone announce that...

]]>Sun, 5 Jun 2016 15:13:00 PDTAdnan Syed up close yet impersonal in new TV specialDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bs-ae-zontv-syed-20160603-story.html
The narrative of the Adnan Syed case is so compelling that each time I write about it, I have to remind myself that a real Baltimore teenager was killed and her real family members continue to mourn.

I repeated that process about halfway through a screening of the Investigation Discovery production...

]]>Fri, 3 Jun 2016 14:01:00 PDT'Roots' resounds as epic storytellingDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bs-ae-zontv-roots-20160527-story.html
When I first saw "Roots" before its debut on ABC in 1977, I thought it was compelling television.

As the blockbuster ratings started rolling in, I knew it was also culturally important TV, if for no other reason than the way its huge crossover audience blew away the conventional wisdom among network...

Produced and directed by Emmy-Award-winner Laurens Grant, the documentary skillfully traces the birth and evolution of the Black Lives Matter movement from the death of Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Florida, though Ferguson,...

]]>Thu, 26 May 2016 04:00:00 PDTBaltimore media best place to be for Nero verdict coverageDavid Zurawikhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-baltimore-media-coverage-nero-verdict-20160523-story.html
Local Baltimore stations and online legacy websites were again the place to be for coverage of the verdict Monday morning in the trial of Officer Edward Nero in the death of Freddie Gray.

CNN, MSNBC and Fox News were at the courthouse to hear the judgment that cleared Nero on all charges in Gray’s...